It has been suggested that some cases of schizophrenia may be caused by an interaction between physiological risk factors and exposure to certain neurotropic infectious agents such as Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV1). This study investigated whether HSV1 exposure was associated with structural brain abnormalities in individuals who, because of genetic or other factors, were deemed at ultra hi...

To optimize the sensitivity of imaging HSV1-tk/GFP reporter gene expression, a series of HSV1-tk/GFP mutants was developed with altered nuclear localization and better cellular enzymatic activity, compared to that of the native HSV1-tk/GFP fusion protein (HSV1-tk/GFP). Several modifications of HSV1-tk/GFP reporter gene were performed, including targeted inactivating mutations in the nuclear loc...

UNLABELLED The herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) gene is widely used as a suicide gene in combination with ganciclovir (GCV) and as a nuclear imaging reporter gene with an appropriate reporter probe. Wild-type HSV1-tk recognizes a variety of pyrimidine and acycloguanosine nucleoside analogs, including clinically used antiviral drugs. PET of HSV1-tk reporter gene expression ...

We are developing assays for noninvasive, quantitative imaging of reporter genes with positron emission tomography (PET), for application both in animal models and in human gene therapy. We report here a method to improve the detection of lower levels of PET reporter gene expression by utilizing a mutant herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-sr39tk) as a PET reporter gene. The HSV1...

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), when present in brain of carriers of the type 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE), has been implicated as a major factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is proposed that virus is normally latent in many elderly brains but reactivates periodically (as in the peripheral nervous system) under certain conditions, for example stress, immunosuppression, an...

BACKGROUND Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of severe chronic airway disease, such as nasal polyps. However the mechanisms underlying the initiation of damage and/or invasion of the nasal mucosa by S. aureus are not clearly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between S. aureus and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) in...

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), a large DNA-containing virus, is endemic in all human populations investigated. After infection of mucocutaneous surfaces, HSV1 establishes a latent infection in nerve cells. Recently, it was demonstrated that HSV1 can also infect activated T lymphocytes. However, the consequences of T cell infection for viral pathogenesis and immunity are unknown. We have ob...

Alzheimer's disease (AD) afflicts around 20 million people worldwide and so there is an urgent need for effective treatment. Our research showing that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) is a risk factor for AD for the brains of people who possess a specific genetic factor and that the virus causes accumulation of key AD proteins (β-amyloid (Aβ) and abnormally phosphorylated tau (P-tau)), sugges...

Imaging the expression of successful gene transduction has been demonstrated in vivo for the first time by using an appropriate combination of "marker gene" and "marker substrate" in an experimental animal model. The herpes simplex virus 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) gene was selected as an example of a marker gene, and the recombinant STK retrovirus containing HSV1-tk was used to transduce RG2 ...

BACKGROUND Herpes simplex infections (HSV1/2) are characterized by recurrent symptoms, a risk of neonatal herpes, and the facilitation of HIV transmission. In Germany, HSV1/2 infections are not notifiable and data are scarce. A previous study found higher HSV1/2 seroprevalences in women in East Germany than in women in West Germany. We assessed changes in the HSV1/2 seroprevalences over time an...